Pope Leo XIV has said that military actions cannot create the space for freedom or “times of peace”.

In a post on X, the pontiff says, “God does not bless any conflict. Anyone who is a disciple of Christ … is never on the side of those who once wielded the sword and today drop bombs.”

He adds, “Military action will not create space for freedom or times of peace, which comes only from the patient promotion of coexistence and dialogue among peoples.”

Pope Leo, the first American to lead the Catholic Church, is an outspoken critic of the US-Israeli war against Iran.